Suicide, depression more common among doctors

The highly competitive and perfectionist nature of the medical profession are believed to be factors in high depression rates.

adamci, file photo: www.sxc.hu

A study on mental health issues shows suicide and depression are more prevalent in the medical profession than in the general public.

Research commissioned by the national depression initiative Beyond Blue has found women in the profession are two-and-a-half times more likely to commit suicide than other women.

The study - to be presented in Adelaide today - also suggests rates of suicide for men in the medical professional are 25 per cent higher than the general public.

Associate Professor Michael Baigent from Beyond Blue says it is important to remove the notion that poor self-care is part of a medical career.

He says the highly competitive and perfectionist nature of the medical profession are factors.

"It's sad that people in the medical profession put their own health on the backburner because they're so dedicated to their patients, but also I think doctors tend to think that because they diagnose conditions in other people they can diagnose it accurately in themselves," he said.

"Doctors feel that being depressed themselves is a sign of weakness, but when it comes to their patients they see it as just being an illness like any other illness, which is the way we all talk about it... so they don't apply the same rules to themselves as they do to other people."